Published: Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 6:41 p.m.

State environmental regulators have inked a deal with a concessionaire for Silver Springs.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently signed a three-year deal with Silver Springs Management LLC, a recently formed Ocala-based company whose owner was an early contender for a piece of the park's original vendor pie.

Silver Springs Management is led by Joel Weissner, who, as president of another company, What's Up Productions in Ocala, made a bid to become the special events coordinator at Silver Springs when the DEP began looking for vendors back in March.

Partnering with Weissner is Bobby Genovese, owner of BG Capital Group, a private equity investment firm based in the Bahamas.

Weissner said his emergence from among several possible vendors to become the sole contractor evolved from the DEP's inability to find companies interested in operating at Silver Springs. That was especially so when it came to selling food and beverages, he added.

When the state closed the bidding process, the only contractors the DEP cleared for negotiations included What's Up as well a concert promoter and a kayaking service.

"If they didn't find someone (in food service) who was willing to take a little bit of a loss at the beginning, they weren't going to get anybody in there," Weissner said.

Weissner said the DEP "more or less" asked if his company would be willing to do other things. And he said yes.

For Weissner, who grew up in Ocala, managing Silver Springs was an opportunity to overcome the community's nickname and reputation as "Slocala."

"We thought, ‘Let's try to take on the whole thing and let's do something good for Ocala's economy,' " Weissner said.

The deal comes less than two weeks before the state assumes management of the park from Palace Entertainment. The California-based amusement park operator agreed to bug out of Silver Springs in January in exchange for making $4 million in improvements at the 242-acre attraction.

"What I saw was an incredible opportunity to reunite to the Ocala-Marion County community back around what Silver Springs was in its day," Genovese said.

"Silver Springs had lost its way. It's an incredible opportunity to bring it back to the community."

Silver Springs Management intends to do that by featuring what made — and has kept — it famous: its water.

"Looking at this spring and river, we need to get people and tourists out on it and give them the opportunity to see this treasure we have in Ocala," Genovese said.

In an email, DEP spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller said after a "thorough review" of the proposals, the Florida Park Service Division opted to go with Silver Springs Management "based on their operational and financial capability to provide the greatest quality and variety of services to park visitors."

"We are very excited about this addition to our resource-based recreation areas and historic and cultural sites," she added.

According to its contract, Silver Springs Management, or SSM, will provide virtually the same services as its predecessor.

The company will control, and may subcontract out, food and beverage services, merchandise sales, rentals of recreation equipment, operation of the glass-bottomed boats, musical concerts and special events.

SSM already has the DEP's approval to bring a handful of subcontractors on board, the contract indicates.

Weissner said the company is negotiating with possible subcontractors for many of the services.

Weissner's original bid to the DEP noted that he had three featured events ready to go.

They included: Kidfetti, the family-oriented outdoor and musical festival; a fashion show that would promote local clothing designers and boutiques; and the Nature County Film Fest/School, which would be a series of events to draw national film production companies to Silver Springs to shoot movies and commercials.

The company still intends to go forward with those, Weissner said.

While details are still unsettled with some possible subcontractors, Weissner said one of those DEP pre-approved groups is involved.

Wet Waders LLC, headed up by Mark Emery, an Ocala resident and Emmy-winning filmmaker and producer for National Geographic, plans to revive Silver Springs' film legacy, Weissner indicated.

But he also was able to identify some distinctions from Palace.

SSM's plans include a "high-class" restaurant with a "surf, sand and sky" theme, Weissner said.

Under the terms of the contract, SSM will hold at least nine concerts annually. The shows must run between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Weissner said the company is close to completing deals with a local radio station to bring a couple of "A-minus" musical acts to Silver Springs soon after SSM takes over on Oct. 1.

He declined to identify those performers, but said they should be a cut above the usual entertainment fare Palace offered.

SSM will pay the state a monthly commission for operating at Silver Springs.

The company must remit 8 percent of its monthly gross sales during the first year, 9 percent in the second and 10 percent in the last year of the contract, which expires in September 2016.

The DEP has reserved the right to renew the deal for one five-year extension.

The state also has included language that allows it to introduce competition for some services SSM will offer, if officials see fit. SSM must be given the chance to respond with its offer first.

Other provisions of the contract call for SSM to open the park year-round, to encourage the offering of vegetarian and gluten-free menu items and to avoid the use of Styrofoam containers.

The company must also write an environmental management plan for the DEP's approval.

The deal also indicates that SSM has been tentatively approved to offer bicycle rentals, a guided Segway tour and a rock-climbing wall.

The DEP said it needs more details about each of those services before granting final approval.

SSM must also make $50,000 in capital improvements at the site.

Weissner said that SSM will exceed that amount.

For now, the firm is working on establishing a private kayak launch point; refurbishing Twin Oaks Mansion, the site of the concerts; and making landscaping improvements.

He praised the volunteer Citizens Support Organization for its yeoman work in helping with that aspect.

Come Oct. 1, what was the Silver Springs attraction will be merged with the adjacent Silver River State Park to become Silver Springs State Park.

<p>State environmental regulators have inked a deal with a concessionaire for Silver Springs.</p><p>The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently signed a three-year deal with Silver Springs Management LLC, a recently formed Ocala-based company whose owner was an early contender for a piece of the park's original vendor pie.</p><p>Silver Springs Management is led by Joel Weissner, who, as president of another company, What's Up Productions in Ocala, made a bid to become the special events coordinator at Silver Springs when the DEP began looking for vendors back in March.</p><p>Partnering with Weissner is Bobby Genovese, owner of BG Capital Group, a private equity investment firm based in the Bahamas.</p><p>Weissner said his emergence from among several possible vendors to become the sole contractor evolved from the DEP's inability to find companies interested in operating at Silver Springs. That was especially so when it came to selling food and beverages, he added.</p><p>When the state closed the bidding process, the only contractors the DEP cleared for negotiations included What's Up as well a concert promoter and a kayaking service.</p><p>"If they didn't find someone (in food service) who was willing to take a little bit of a loss at the beginning, they weren't going to get anybody in there," Weissner said.</p><p>Weissner said the DEP "more or less" asked if his company would be willing to do other things. And he said yes.</p><p>For Weissner, who grew up in Ocala, managing Silver Springs was an opportunity to overcome the community's nickname and reputation as "Slocala."</p><p>"We thought, 'Let's try to take on the whole thing and let's do something good for Ocala's economy,' " Weissner said.</p><p>The deal comes less than two weeks before the state assumes management of the park from Palace Entertainment. The California-based amusement park operator agreed to bug out of Silver Springs in January in exchange for making $4 million in improvements at the 242-acre attraction.</p><p>"What I saw was an incredible opportunity to reunite to the Ocala-Marion County community back around what Silver Springs was in its day," Genovese said.</p><p>"Silver Springs had lost its way. It's an incredible opportunity to bring it back to the community."</p><p>Silver Springs Management intends to do that by featuring what made — and has kept — it famous: its water.</p><p>"Looking at this spring and river, we need to get people and tourists out on it and give them the opportunity to see this treasure we have in Ocala," Genovese said.</p><p>In an email, DEP spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller said after a "thorough review" of the proposals, the Florida Park Service Division opted to go with Silver Springs Management "based on their operational and financial capability to provide the greatest quality and variety of services to park visitors."</p><p>"We are very excited about this addition to our resource-based recreation areas and historic and cultural sites," she added.</p><p>According to its contract, Silver Springs Management, or SSM, will provide virtually the same services as its predecessor.</p><p>The company will control, and may subcontract out, food and beverage services, merchandise sales, rentals of recreation equipment, operation of the glass-bottomed boats, musical concerts and special events.</p><p>SSM already has the DEP's approval to bring a handful of subcontractors on board, the contract indicates.</p><p>Weissner said the company is negotiating with possible subcontractors for many of the services.</p><p>Weissner's original bid to the DEP noted that he had three featured events ready to go.</p><p>They included: Kidfetti, the family-oriented outdoor and musical festival; a fashion show that would promote local clothing designers and boutiques; and the Nature County Film Fest/School, which would be a series of events to draw national film production companies to Silver Springs to shoot movies and commercials.</p><p>The company still intends to go forward with those, Weissner said.</p><p>While details are still unsettled with some possible subcontractors, Weissner said one of those DEP pre-approved groups is involved.</p><p>Wet Waders LLC, headed up by Mark Emery, an Ocala resident and Emmy-winning filmmaker and producer for National Geographic, plans to revive Silver Springs' film legacy, Weissner indicated.</p><p>But he also was able to identify some distinctions from Palace.</p><p>SSM's plans include a "high-class" restaurant with a "surf, sand and sky" theme, Weissner said.</p><p>Under the terms of the contract, SSM will hold at least nine concerts annually. The shows must run between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.</p><p>Weissner said the company is close to completing deals with a local radio station to bring a couple of "A-minus" musical acts to Silver Springs soon after SSM takes over on Oct. 1.</p><p>He declined to identify those performers, but said they should be a cut above the usual entertainment fare Palace offered.</p><p>SSM will pay the state a monthly commission for operating at Silver Springs.</p><p>The company must remit 8 percent of its monthly gross sales during the first year, 9 percent in the second and 10 percent in the last year of the contract, which expires in September 2016.</p><p>The DEP has reserved the right to renew the deal for one five-year extension.</p><p>The state also has included language that allows it to introduce competition for some services SSM will offer, if officials see fit. SSM must be given the chance to respond with its offer first.</p><p>Other provisions of the contract call for SSM to open the park year-round, to encourage the offering of vegetarian and gluten-free menu items and to avoid the use of Styrofoam containers.</p><p>The company must also write an environmental management plan for the DEP's approval.</p><p>The deal also indicates that SSM has been tentatively approved to offer bicycle rentals, a guided Segway tour and a rock-climbing wall.</p><p>The DEP said it needs more details about each of those services before granting final approval.</p><p>SSM must also make $50,000 in capital improvements at the site.</p><p>Weissner said that SSM will exceed that amount.</p><p>For now, the firm is working on establishing a private kayak launch point; refurbishing Twin Oaks Mansion, the site of the concerts; and making landscaping improvements.</p><p>He praised the volunteer Citizens Support Organization for its yeoman work in helping with that aspect.</p><p>Come Oct. 1, what was the Silver Springs attraction will be merged with the adjacent Silver River State Park to become Silver Springs State Park.</p><p><i>Contact Bill Thompson at 867-4117 or bill.thompson@ocala.com.</i></p>